Small blowers used in the yard emit more pollution than a full-sized pick-up

(NBC NEWS) -- Just as we head into fall there's something you might want to consider on how to clear fallen leaves off your yard.

The knock on gas powered leaf blowers is they're noisy, waste gas, and they can worsen allergies, asthma by irritating the lungs.

But, above all, they're dirty.

They pollute the air, a lot.

"We found that the leaf blower was far, far dirtier, in terms of emissions, than the full size pickup truck," said Edmunds.com's Jason Kavanagh.

And not just any pickup; but one of the big fords is what automotive engineers at Edmunds.Com used to compare with a leaf blower, with alarming results.

"A half hour of yard work with a leaf blower is equivalent emissions-wise to driving the f-150 raptor full size pickup from northern Texas to Anchorage, Alaska or about 4,000 miles," said Kavanagh.

For its comparison, Edmunds used a gas powered, 2-stroke leaf blower which are still the best selling leaf blowers in the country.

But the recommendation is consumers should consider alternatives to getting the leaves off your yard.
"You could use electric powered leaf blowers and lawnmowers... You have to deal with a cord but they are a lot cleaner," Kavanagh said.

There's no longer a choice in some cities across the country which have already outlawed leaf blowers because they pollute so much.